Native American Tawnee Hall, seen here with his early Fender Broadcaster guitar, plays lead guitar for Lefty Frizzell

Merle Travis poses with his Bigsby solidbody guitar during a break at the Bostonia Ballroom. This is the ONLY known color photograph of Merle Travis holding his Bigsby guitar.

Smokey Rogers led the house band at the Bostonia Ballroom. During the early 1950s his group included legendary steel guitarist Joaquin Murphy, seen here playing his Bigsby tripleneck steel guitar. These are the only known color photos of Joaquin playing his Bigsby steel!

In addition to the aforementioned, the group included Cactus Soldi on electric violin, future Town Hall Party house drummer Pee Wee Adams on drums, Johnny Weis on guitar, Myron Sauter on piano, Don and Roy Hogshead on guitars/vocals, Dean Eaker on upright bass, and Larry "Pedro" Depaul on accordion.

Warner G. "Slim" Dossey, backed by Smokey Rogers and group. The piano player with the glasses may be Myron Sautter.

A fantastic color shot of the legendary guitar and steel guitar team Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West. This is the ONLY known color photograph of Jimmy Bryant with his first Fender Broadcaster guitar.
Billy Strange attempts to keep up on rhythm guitar duties while two lovelies try to distract him

Cliffie Stone was M.C. and the man responsible for the Hometown Jamboree. Here he signs autographs while smoking a stogie.

Hank Penny, Western swing bandleader and singer, does one of his famous comedy bits

Harold Hensley on fiddle and Billy Liebert on accordion, part of the Hometown Jamboree house band, also heard on thousands of records as some of Los Angeles's best session musicians of the 1950s

Molly Bee and Harry Rodcay prepare to sing a duet

Jason Odd

From:Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Posted 14 Feb 2010 2:17 am

The pics of Lefty's band seem to be after the Western Cherokees, and Lou Millet supposedly led Lefty's band in '53, so I'm guessing it's '53 or later.. but not much later.

John McConnell

From:Yuba City, CA, USA

Posted 14 Feb 2010 8:54 am

Thanks for posting the link to these great pictures. I grew up not far from the Bostonia Ballroom. In fact, my paper route took me right by there. When I was a lad of 5 or 6, the lady next door took in some of the musicians as they traveled through to play at the Bostonia Ballroom. That would have been in 52-53. The fiddle player, Cactus, went in partnership with Smokey and had a music store there in ElCajon. It was called Smokeys Valley Music and it is where I bought my first guitar and all my Black Diamond strings. Valley music is still there and I am not sure about the old Ballroom. Thanks for bringing back some great memories.

Not that I'm an expert in country music.
In the Lefty Frizzell biography it says that Curly Chalker was replaced by Pee Wee Whitewing ca. '52. Maybe it is him.

Ray Harrison

From:Tucson, Arizona, USA

Posted 14 Feb 2010 10:05 am

Jason, thanks for the post. It was before my time in San Diego, but I did know Smokey, Cactus, Don and Roy, oh, and Myron.
Brings back a lot of memories._________________Ray Harrison
Bass/sing/Love PSG
77 Stingray/SDGR 5 string bass
Telonics , Ashdown, Polytone Amps
D-16 Martin, 1970 Ovation guitars

Billy Tonnesen

From:R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Posted 14 Feb 2010 1:30 pm

Jason:

How long did Lefty actually carry his own Band ? I think at some point he just started making personal appearances relying on House Bands to back him up.
I remembner around 1955 he would book into Tracy Gardens in San Jose, Ca. and we would back him up. Also in the 1960's he would book into So. Calif. Clubs and I think a good number of us Local Musicians backed him up. Everyone pretty much knew all his songs and we would back him up as close as we could to the way the songs were recorded. He was always a real nice guy to work with.

Fred Shannon

From:Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.

Posted 14 Feb 2010 2:53 pm

Jason, I think the pic of the piano player for Lefty Frizzell is a cat named "Jelly". I never knew any other name for him. He was with Lefty when he joined us, "The Westerners", at the old Ace of Clubs here in Big Spring, Texas. Billy Madry was band leader, along with Charlie Stewart, Slim Agnew, and me. I can't remember if he stayed with us or went with Lefty when he went to the Fort Worth/Dallas area and Jim Beck Recording Co. I know that Jimmy Kelley (sp.), who played on the Big D Jamboree, was the steel man Don Law picked to play on Lefty's first records and then I think Chalker and Blackie Crawford picked him up on tour. PeeWee Whitewing did do some recording with him but I'm not sure where he fits in chronologicly. About 1952 or 53 I believe.

We kinda' lost touch after 'If'n you got the money'. Lefty soared and I continued to put up with Billy Madry's temper tantrums.

phred_________________There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!

Curly Chalker served with Lefty in 1951, joining around the time they became known as The Western Cherokees.
In about June of 1951, steel player Pee Wee Whitewing joined the WCs, replacing Chalker.
He'd been working with Shorty Joe at Tracy Gardens, and Short's band backed Lefty, who had come to Cal. with only a fiddle player to save money.
The latter reason is why it's a little hard to pinpoint when he stopped using a regular band, but most likely after he moved to California in around 1952, so maybe he'd dropped the band by the mid 50s?

Oh, I just checked some notes, and on 12/6/1952; Tawnee Hall, aged 25, guitarist with Frizzell and once with the WCs died at home in Eastman, California after taking ill on tour.
There you go, Lefty and his band must have been west coast based, and thos e pics are from 1952.. still can't figure the steeler though.

Blackie Crawford & The Western Cherokees split from Lefty some time in 1952, they were recording for Coral Records and based in Oklahoma City, when not on the road touring throughout Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, etc.

The Western Cherokees were constantly being raided for bandmembers. If Lefty wasn't hiring away bandmembers, then Hank Thompson was.
When Pee Wee Whitewing got a call to join Hank Thompson in 1952, Thompson was about to lose Curly Chalker and sought a suitable replacement. In turn Californian Bobby Black replaced Whitewing in the Western Cherokees. Black had replaced Whitewing in Shorty Joe And The Red Rock Canyon Cowboys.

Fred Shannon is on the ball, on the steel players, etc.
In regards to this myterious Jelly as piano player, there was a Jerry Desormeaux who played with the early Western Cherokees - Frizzell band in '51 with Chalker, etc.

Maybe it's him?..

I've never seen a young pic of Curly, my first response is that it's not him, I'm not exactyl sure where he went after he split Hank's Thompson's band.

STOP THE PRESSES..

just found a billboard issue online, it mentions Lefty recently playing the Bostonia Ballroom with a band that includes Ernie Harvey on steel.
Anyone know this fellow?

cheers everyone, this is an interesting one if I do say so myself.

J.

Andy Hinton

From:Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.

Posted 15 Feb 2010 4:36 amLefty Frizell Steeler

There's an older Cajun Steeler down around Baton Rouge La. who told me he played for Lefty in the fiftys in Ca. I can't remember his name, but he sometimes travels with Charlie Moore to Jams. Charlie, if you see this, Doesn't the pic. look a little like your buddy. Andy H.
I met Lefty in 1951 in his Mom & Dads Cafe on Hwy.80 between Shreveport & Minden. I delivered milk to them & had breakfast there every morning. .

Jack Harper

From:Mississippi, USA

Posted 15 Feb 2010 7:58 amlouisiana man.........

hey andy..........
i saw those pictures yeasterday and hoped someone would ask this same question.
to answer andy's question, ...carlou bordelon....
is the fellow in south louisiana.
i just talked to him and his health is not great but he said tell everyone that he is hangin' in there.
he did play a fender in that time frame but so did most every player back then.

jack........

Fred Shannon

From:Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.

Posted 15 Feb 2010 12:23 pm

Jason I looked in my journal and there are only 3 HARVEYS listed in there. One was an Ernie Harvey, a steel player,but I listed him as playing with another Ernie (Chappin, Challin, or Charrin--can't read my own writing) I do know I met this outfit in a July 4th celebration in Gulfport Mississippi sometime. The only other Harveys I have are two brothers Tommy ( who just passed recently) who I met with the Hoyle Nix band; a steel player but he was better known as a bass player round these parts and his brother, Noel Jr.(Nicked "FATBOY") a drummer with the Nix band. Must have been the one in Mississippi. I've asked several of the old timers but they don't know an Ernie.

phred_________________There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!

Think about it!!

Jason Odd

From:Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Posted 15 Feb 2010 4:08 pm

Fred, seems like we both had a look through our notes, it's Ernie Chaffin, that Ernie Harvey worked with after Lefty. They recorded for Sun Records under Chaffin's name.

For a bit of help, this is a rough run-down of the Billboard article:

November 8, 1952. Billboard magazine report on Lefty and his "new" band in California.
Lefty and his new band played Cliffie Stone’s Hometown Jamboree, Legion Stadium, El Monte, Ca. on October 25, breaking the attendance record he previously set. He is booked through Steve Stebbins’ Americana booking agency.
It also mentioned that they had record show at The Bostonia Ballroom in San Diego on October 26th that year.
Lefty’s new band includes new Columbia artist Lou Millet (guitar, vocals), who formerly had led his own band in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The rest of the band includes Ernie Harvey on steel, Tawnee Hall on lead guitar, vocals, Lum York (bass, comedy), Tommy Perkins (drums), Jack Youngblood (fiddle), and Lefty’s brother Billy Frizzell on guitar and vocals.

I know most of these guys in a historical sense, but seperately, never thought of them as a band with Lefty... (until now)

Lefty's brother Billy got drafted around this time, Korea I suppose, not sure what happened to him. Tawnee died in December, he was replaced for a time by Roy Nichols from Bakersfield.
Lum York had worked with Hank Williams Drifting Cowboys in the mid to late 40s, and had been part of the Louisiana Hayride house band after Hank split for Nashville in 1949.
Jack Youngblood was from Louisiana and had already recorded with Lefty in Texas. Jack recorded solo for Columbia and worked a stint with Bill Monroe in 1954.
Tommy Perkins was just 18, (born May 10,1934) and already an experienced drummer from Oklahoma City. He had toured with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys for a California tour and some recording sessions. His first recording as a Texas Playboy, produced Bob Wills' 1950 hit single "Faded Love" for MGM Records in California. After tourng with Wills, he went back and finished high school, after which he joined Hank Thompson's band in Oklahoma, then he moved to Sacramento for a short stint with Billy Jack Wills, from which he joined Lefty Frizzell's band.

J.

Fred Shannon

From:Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.

Posted 15 Feb 2010 5:06 pm

Jason, try this; comparing Lefty's dress in the picture with the steeler and the steeler's dress it's evident the steeler is wearing a band uniform and it's the same uniform as the rest of the members in the succeeding pictures. That is probably the Lou Millet band. Checking the discography on lefty's recording sessions in the Beck studio for the "Jimmy Rogers' Sessions" in 1953 we find the only time Lou recorded with Lefty they cut 4 songs in Feb 53 and 2 songs in Mar 53. That's the only time Ernie Harvey was used as a Steeler by Don Law and the only time Lou Millet was there with Harvey.

Betcha' the steeler in your original post was that guy Ernie Harvey. Don't bet much on it though.

phred_________________There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!

Think about it!!

Alan Harrison

From:Murfreesboro Tennessee, USA

Posted 15 Feb 2010 5:25 pmThe Photographer, Scotty Broyles

I was quite shocked to see the name of the photographer who took these photos. Scotty and I have been good friends for the last 40 years. He is a wonderful mandolin player and still plays regularly with a group of friends in California.

When Scotty and his wife Betty were with us here in the Nashville area, I took some pictures of his one of a kind five string mandolin. It is a Harvey.

Last time he and I played together, he was over 80 years old and his fingers still spit fire from the tips....I really appreciate this post...ah

Hi Fred, I think the pics and the Billboard reference are much the same show, although it doesn't explain the piano player who is obviously part of Lefty's band.

I suppose the guys we hardly see, the bassist is probably Lum york, while the guitarist behind Lefty is probably his brother Billy, he has a similar uniform, but a different colour code I guess.
I used to have a pic of Billy Frizzell, but can't find it.
And it seems as bandleader, Lou Millet get's to wear his own clothes rather than a band uniform.

The woman singer with guitarist Tawnee, I recall there was a woman who toured with Lefty, but no details on whenabouts.. it may, or may not be her.

fred, those sessions you refer to with Lou Millet (guitar, vocals), Ernie Harvey on steel, Lum York (bass), Tommy Perkins (drums), Jack Youngblood (fiddle), are I assume the ones cut with Roy Nichols.
I've noticed that Lefty only use his band sometimes, or just some members on sessions, especially when recording at Jim Beck's studio, as Jim had a regular gang that he used from The Big D Jamboree, as well as local bands.

Alan Harrison, thanks for the photo of that mandolin, it sure is a beaut, Scotty and Betty recorded some good times with their camera.

J.

Andrew Brown

From:Houston, Texas, USA

Posted 15 Feb 2010 7:54 pm

I think Jason nailed the exact date of these photos: October 26, 1952.

Tawnee Hall died less than a month later, on November 21, 1952.

Roy Nichols took Tawnee's place.

The same band, with Nichols, recorded in Dallas on February 7, 1953.

Mitch Drumm

From:Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Posted 15 Feb 2010 7:59 pm

The early 1953 Dallas sessions that Fred mentions supposedly included Harold Carmack on piano and Fred Cantu on drums; along with Nichols, Millet, Harvey, York, and Youngblood.

I don't have any early pics of Carmack and Cantu to compare to the color photos taken in California.

Here is a pic of Hank and band at KWKH in Shreveport. I think that is Lum York on bass. Wish I knew the steel player. Got any idea, Fred?

Lefty used a bunch of steelers. The Proper and Bear Family boxed sets mentions these:

Thanks to Scotty Broyles' pic, and Jason's quick thinking, we can ID these people with greater certainty than we could before.

Andrew Brown

From:Houston, Texas, USA

Posted 15 Feb 2010 8:25 pm

C.B. "Charley" White was Bob White's brother.

Fred Shannon

From:Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.

Posted 16 Feb 2010 7:26 am

Well Jason's case is closed with Andy Brown's pic. The 2nd guy from the right is id'd as Earnie Harvey and a comparison with Jason's original pic is a positive id for me anyway.

I was in the Beck studio for the Feb cuts; there were two days I have written down but remember this was 1953 and I could have screwed up; (I had a habit of feelin' bad every morning when I pried them open) but I have written down the Feb 7 date with Millet the following: Lefty, Lou Millet, Wayne Raney (who btw played french harp and sang duet on one or two songs), Lum York, Youngblood (Lefty carried him everywhere),I listed the steeler as "Ernie ?, which meant I didn't know his last name-and evidently didn't know how to spell his first one either and friend Tommy Perkins on drums.

There was no keyboard on the 2nd day but there was the day before Feb 6, and that in fact was Harold Carmack and a different drummer Freddie Cantu. And Jimmie Rollins played lead, Eddy Duncan on bass, our pal Paul Blunt on steel, Youngblood on fiddle as usual. I made a note there was considerable grrrrrr at this session, and they had a hard time (as I recall) getting 4 songs into the 3hr block. In any case Law changed the entire group with the exception of Youngblood for the 2nd day's cuts. Hope this helps.

phred_________________There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!

Mitch, Fred and Andrew, thanks for those responses, feels like we nailed this one.
I also don't have anything to compare for the piano player, so we got caught on that one, but I think we did quite well.
Fred, your first hand experience is certainly exciting stuff for us young'uns, and Andrew I do love that pic. Lefty looks amazing.

cheers

J.

Jack Harper

From:Mississippi, USA

Posted 17 Feb 2010 4:13 am

this has been a fantastic journey and in such a short amount of time.
in the hank williams kwkh picture the question of the steel player with the lap stee; is unanswered.
ernie cawbt was there in that time frame.
i think there are two local possibilities. odds are that ernie may can nail this one.
where are you ern'?

country............

Jack Harper

From:Mississippi, USA

Posted 17 Feb 2010 4:14 am

this has been a fantastic journey and in such a short amount of time.
in the hank williams kwkh picture the question of the steel player with the lap steel is unanswered.
ernie cawby was there in that time frame.
i think there are two local possibilities.
odds are that ernie may can nail this one.
where are you ern'?

country............

Andrew Brown

From:Houston, Texas, USA

Posted 17 Feb 2010 7:01 am

Mitch Drumm wrote:

Here is a pic of Hank and band at KWKH in Shreveport. I think that is Lum York on bass. Wish I knew the steel player. Got any idea, Fred?

I think it could be Sonny Trammell from Shreveport, not certain though.

Andrew Brown

From:Houston, Texas, USA

Posted 17 Feb 2010 7:04 am

I don't think the piano player in the Bostonia Ballroom pics was part of Lefty's touring band. Probably picked up on the coast for that tour, or just that night. And he definitely is not Jerry Desormeaux or Harold Carmack.